nutrition

For the average person, protein need is based on size and activity level. For a person who is participating in sports of any kind, however, the need for protein is increased based on the kind of activity, how physically demanding it is, and how often they are doing it. The body uses protein during exercise to build lean muscle mass and then again afterward to repair the small damages that are done to the muscle fibers during the workout.

The best diet that you can eat includes all three macronutrients: protein, carbohydrates and fat as well as many of the micronutrients that you need for overall good health. Of these macronutrients there is not one that is technically more important than the others; however they are needed in different amounts. Each person has individual dietary needs, including different calorie needs and different needs for each nutrient. For instance, an athletic person will need more protein and calories than a sedentary person. A tall person will need more than a shorter person. It is important that all of the nutrients are included in the right amount for each individual person.

Our kidneys play an important role in our health, and it is essential that we do everything possible to keep our kidneys healthy so that they can continue doing their job, the main one being to filter waste and fluids from the bloodstream. Millions of Americans are suffering from kidney disease, which can often be fatal if not treated properly or in a timely manner.

Why should you even worry about protein? There are many answers to that question. First, protein is the primary component of all of the lean muscle mass in your body. Second, protein is a central ingredient in every cell. There are other functions, too. Many enzymes and hormones are manufactured from proteins, which are essential to the processes of digestion, metabolism, ovulation and sleeping. Protein bolsters your immune system, aids in healing and provides energy, all while maintaining and balancing the amount of fluid in your body. As you can see, protein is vital to survival.

Our kidneys do a lot of work to help keep us healthy. They are responsible for filtering out waste from our blood. They release hormones that regulate blood pressure. Our kidneys process more than 18 gallons of blood each and every hour of the day, and filter more than half of the fluids we take in. Unfortunately, our kidneys are susceptible to a number of ailments, from simple kidney infections to kidney stones to chronic kidney disease, which can ultimately lead to renal failure.

There are more than 26 million Americans today who are living with chronic kidney disease, and many millions more are at significant risk of contracting it. It is very important to detect the progression of the disease in its early stages, before kidney disease becomes kidney failure. The top cause of death for people who have chronic kidney disease is actually heart disease caused by the kidney difficulties. Kidney disease can contribute to hypertension, which is a source in itself of all sorts of problems. One indication of chronic kidney disease is too much protein in the urine.

Lifting weights is a great form of exercise for everyone at any age or health level. Even seniors with limited range of motion can get some benefit from light strength training as long as their doctor approves. There are varying levels of strength training, from the woman who adds five-pound dumbbells to her workout routine all the way up to the bodybuilders who are building huge and powerful bodies through hours of lifting ultra heavy weights.